We’re David and Lois McBeath. We live in Point Pleasant, WV – a small town along the Ohio River on the western side of the state. We have 2 sons. Austin is 15. He’s a sophomore at Pt. Pleasant High School. Darrell is almost 12. He’s in the 6th grade at Roosevelt Elementary.
We actually began our adoption journey more than 10 years ago. I saw an ad in the newspaper about Chinese babies. We called about it, but it just wasn’t even feasible at that time in our life. All these years, it was always there, stuck somewhere in the back of our minds. I don't know why exactly – it just was. The thought never completely went away.
We also talked off and on about having another child. Our house was only 3 bedrooms, and we know the boys could have been in a room together, but we didn't want to do that if we didn't have to. In the spring of 2006, for some reason (I don't recall exactly what) - it came up again. We started thinking and talking - why not? So we started checking into it more. We did a lot of research online. The more we found out, the more we felt a calling, a desire and even a need to do this.
We started the adoption and added onto the house all at the same time. It took about 6 months to get the paperwork together. Then about another month after we sent it to China for them to translate it and 'log us in' (11/6/06). That's when we started to officially wait.
We finally got "THE CALL" on 7/13/08. It was a Sunday afternoon! After 2 ½ years, we are finally going to get our baby!
Leila Ann McBeath, formally known as Shun Xi Yi, was born on Oct 29, 2007. She had a cleft lip and cleft palate. The lip has been repaired, but not the palate. (We'll have to do that when we get her home.) She's in the Children's Welfare Institute of Shunde District of Foshan City, which is located in the Guangdong Province, in the southern part of China.
Shunde, the hometown of flowers, is one of four cities under the jurisdiction of Foshan City. Covering an area of 806 sq meters and with a population of 1.05 million, Shunde City is situated in the middle of the fertile Pearl River Delta, between Guangzhou and Hong Kong. It was set up as a county in the 3rd year (1452 AD) of the Jintai reign of the Ming Dynasy (1368-1644), and conferred with the administrative status of a city in 1992 by the State Council.
Foshan City is also where the actor Bruce Lee was from.
Austin is 17.
In a lot of ways, he's a typical 17 year old (the world revolves around him, he's a little lazy on the things I want him to do, etc).
And yes, there are days that he drives me crazy and I absolutely want to pinch his head off.
BUT, he can be a really good kid too, and I'm so very proud of him.
He goes to school.
Although in some classes, I think his grades could be a little better - he still manages to stay on the honor roll. (Which gets us the 'good student' discount on his insurance.)
He has a job now.
He works at least 3 days a week as a gymnastics coach. (Which is good, because he's always wanting something, and he's expensive.)
Wrestling season just started.
He was picked as one of the wrestling captains for his HS team this year!
He even shot a nice deer with his bow a few weeks ago.
How's that for busy, busy, busy.
It's tough having lots of things all at the same time.
2 birthdays and Halloween in 3 days.
We didn't do much for any of it this year.
Very low key - no big parties.
(Darrell was supposed to go on a 4-wheeler trip, but due to David's accident last week - that got postponed until a later date.)
We went trick-or-treating and to the block party for Halloween.
We had cake and ice cream for the birthdays.
Not a lot of excitement, but that's okay - I'm sure we'll make it for it later.
Trick-or-Treat with a Pink Zebra
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Leila's 3rd Birthday
Darrell's 14th Birthday
A Fall Family Picture at Church
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